As Nature Intended
by Viva La Zekiel
Summary: Fur as white as snow, and, fur as bright as sun, a fox and a rabbit’s game, which, has just begun.


Heart racing, eyes darting, feet moving with the passion of the flames, the little rabbit ran and ran; soon he would be out of breath, out of ways to run, and, out of hope. Now, I wasn't something new, for a rabbit, to flee from danger…but this was one of the swiftest, animals in the entire world, ears long, feet swift, and mind as cunning as the craftiest of them all.

Rabbit rarely ran as he was now. For, he was running from a new creature. The dog was no match, the cat, the wolf was even outrun by the little bunny. This one, though…this one at his fluffy tail, was just as fast and light on his feet, just as cunning.

Fur shone like the brilliant colors of the brightest suns…long, alert ears shifting at the many sounds around him, tail swaying softly at his back paws, beardy dusting the ground…

When Rabbit's eyes landed onto this strange creature, his heart fluttered in hi chest, and at that moment, something told him to run. Maybe it was the teeth the other animal had, maybe his claws…no…it was his eyes…

The eyes this creature had, scarred rabbit.

The bunny, who panted and wheezed, completely out of breath, slowed to a stop, looking back, only to see those sharp, haunting eyes looking back at him.

"Alright, you win." Rabbit called, causing the creature to walk out of the shadows, his coat, gleaming in beauty.

"Are you sure, laddy? I can keep this chase up all day." the creature purred threw his sharp teeth, grinning a sly grin as he walked in a circle around Rabbit, eyeing him like the meat he was.

Rabbit gulped, and shivered, hunkering as low to the ground as he possibly could.

"Yes…yes I am sure." The Rabbit replied, his tiny mind working at a fast rate. The creature chuckled throatily, then sat down in front of rabbit, cocking his head to one side while licking his teeth.

"Are you scared of me?" He asked.

The Rabbit only shook his head, unsure of what else to say to this, terrifying beast before him that was, not only faster, but bigger.

"You should be…but, luckily, I just ate, so, your not on my menu, yet." He replied soon after lacking a proper reply form Rabbit. He chuckled more, then laid in front of rabbit, reaching out with his paws to grasp the sides of Rabbit, pulling him close to his sun colored fur. "I've never seen you before…"

"As haven't I seen you." the rabbit squeaked, feeling the creature's claws tingling at his white fur.

"Really now? What are you?" the creature asked, eyes locked on the white rabbit in his grasp. The poor Rabbit could only barely stutter out his name, before the creature stood on his hind legs, still holding Rabbit. "Ah, so, you re rabbit?"

Rabbit nodded. "Yes…I am the speed of the land…"

"Well…I am Fox, and, I am the dance of the world, the cunning, the sly…" He chuckled, holding rabbit out as he spun on his hind legs in a complete circle.

Fox?

"Ah…Fox?" Rabbit asked, after the Fox sniffed his fur strangely.

"You smell delicious, little Rabbit. Will you come to my humble den later? I have something special planned for dinner. Would you like to eat with me?" Fox asked suddenly, smiling a sweet smile as his ears flopped back innocently. Rabbit could only nod, happy when Fox had finally put him down.

Slowly, the Rabbit hopped away from Fox, before scurrying away, trusting his instincts. Fox sat there, grinning slowly as he watched Rabbit run off.

He slowly stood, then stretched out, shaking his fur as he trotted in the opposite direction, ears perked as he thought about what he should arrange for dinner. Rabbit, of course, wouldn't show up. But, that didn't mean Fox would skip out on dinner.

Rabbit ran and ran, and then ran some more, till the scent of Fox was long lost in the winds breeze.

Rabbit shivered, then slowly hopped towards his hole, where Mouse had been waiting for him.

"Rabbit! Rabbit! Are you safe? I saw it, I did! The creature of the sun! He was chasing you! Did you loose him? Was he tricked and lost in your trail?" Mouse chirped and squeaked quickly, speaking as quickly as lightning struck the earth. Rabbit smiled and shook his head, hopping closer to the smaller creature.

"No. He caught me, and, we spoke. He is named Fox, the dance, cunning, and sly. He was strange though, his teeth where sharp, eyes where deadly, and his voice was chilling, but, he didn't eat me." Rabbit explained.

"He didn't eat you? But! I saw him! He ate crow!" Mouse squeaked, running around in a little circle.

Rabbit gasped softly, and covered his mouth with one paw, wondering if Fox wanted to eat him, too. "Mouse, this Is serious. This, Fox…he's fast he's smart, and he's sneaky…and he wants be to go to his den…"

"No! You cant!" Mouse cried, now running across Rabbit's back.

"But I must, Mouse! If h is not my friend, then, he is my hunter…I don't want to run into an predator like him, and neither do you." Rabbit snapped, moving away from mouse before crawling into his hole, his mind working faster then ever. What should he do? What should he do?

Fox huffed, trotting up to the cave in which he made his home. Alone most of his life, Fox was used to the lonely and cold feeling of his den, having arranged the rocks and sticks along the ground over a million times in his lonely boredom.

"Ah…I bet he wont come…" Fox muttered to himself, nudging at a rock to move it about, trying to redecorate his den.

No, why would rabbit come?

Fox would have eaten Rabbit, and, probably would sometime in the near future…but, he hadn't wanted to back there, in the clearing. The crow hadn't filled him up, and, it wasn't that Rabbit didn't look as good as he smelt…it was just that…

Well, Rabbit looked strange to fox. He was…kind of…cute…

Fox shook his head clear of thoughts like that, pinning his ears back. "No! I am a Fox, I eat creatures like Rabbit. I cant go getting attached to my food." He scolded himself, laying down to scratch his head with his front paws. He huffed, and even tried going to sleep…but, nothing was helping his troubled mind.

The only thing that could distract him, was the sound of rustling grass, right outside his den. Of course, his ears flew in the direction of the sound, his attention, soon following.

"Rabbit?" Fox called, eagerly popping to his feet.

Fox trotted out of his den, the bright sunlight hitting his fur softly. His eyes narrowed, adjusting to the light outside as he quickly saw the source of the sound. No, it wasn't his sweet, timid rabbit.

Fox's ears instantly flattened, and he lowered himself close to the ground, curing himself mentally for running out into the open without checking for danger first.

It was not Rabbit…but Dog, who was outside Fox's den.

"Rabbit?" Dog asked huskily, his deep voice so soft, it was almost a whisper. "I am no Rabbit, Fox, enemy of all man, of all Dog…" The dog growled loudly after that, and Fox sank lower to the ground. Crap. He had been discovered.


End file.
